The initiative comes after anger in Islamabad over recent remarks by the US president.

Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan (K.M. Chaudary/AP)

President Donald Trump has reached out to Pakistan’s prime minister, sending Imran Khan a letter seeking Islamabad’s co-operation in bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table to end the 17-year war in neighbouring Afghanistan, officials have said.

The development could help ease tension between Washington and Islamabad.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry quoted Mr Trump as saying in the letter that he considers his most important regional priority achieving a negotiated settlement to the Afghan war and that he was seeking Pakistan’s support and facilitation toward that goal.

President Donald Trump (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

It said Mr Trump acknowledged the war has cost dearly both the United State and Pakistan.

The ministry also said Mr Trump emphasised Pakistan and Washington “should explore opportunities to work together and renew their partnership”.

Pakistani authorities did not release the letter, which information minister Fawad Chaudhry said Mr Khan received on Monday morning.

The ministry welcomed the US president’s outreach, saying: “Pakistan has always advocated a political settlement to end war in Afghanistan.”

“Pakistan reiterates its commitment to play the role of facilitator in good faith,” the ministry statement said.

Pakistani media outlets, whose reporters met with Mr Khan in Islamabad on Monday, quoted the prime minister as saying that Pakistan would continue its efforts to help peace in Afghanistan.

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When Mr Trump levelled his accusation about bin Laden last month, Islamabad said “such baseless rhetoric … was totally unacceptable”.

Mr Khan at the time stressed the United States had provided what he described as a minuscule 20 billion US dollars in aid to Pakistan.

Trump’s false assertions add insult to the injury Pak has suffered in US WoT in terms of lives lost & destabilised & economic costs. He needs to be informed abt historical facts. Pak has suffered enough fighting US’s war. Now we will do what is best for our people & our interests

Bin Laden was killed by US commandos in a surprise raid in May 2011 in the Pakistani garrison city of Abbottabad.

According to Imtiaz Gul, a Pakistani analyst, Mr Trump’s letter indicates there is a realisation within the US administration that Pakistan’s co-operation is vital to ensuring peace in Afghanistan.

Despite near-daily attacks by the Taliban, who now hold sway in about half of Afghanistan’s territory, the Trump administration has stepped up efforts to find a peaceful solution to the protracted war.

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was expected to arrive in Pakistan this week during his visit to the region to revive peace talks with the Taliban.

According to the US State Department, Mr Khalilzad will travel to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar with a delegation from December 2 to December 20.